


Happiness

by Treekianthia



Series: Bravely Babies [1]
Category: Bravely Default (Video Game) & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, F/M, Family, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-08
Updated: 2018-06-08
Packaged: 2019-05-19 18:18:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14878845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Treekianthia/pseuds/Treekianthia
Summary: A short recollection of Agnès’ first pregnancy. Written in an experimental style. (Fic Archive: 10/02/16)





	Happiness

**Author's Note:**

> The following fic was originally posted to outside sources on 10/02/16. It is being posted here for archival purposes and to help document my progress as a writer. It is also part of a post-canon AU referred to as the Bravely Babies, and more info on the children characters and the AU itself can be found on my tumblr blog woodland-knight.

Agnès was the first of her friends to become a mother.

The decision that she and Tiz wanted to have a child had been simple enough. They had been married for almost four years, and in the recent months they had started to feel their sleepy, little home in Norende had become too quiet. The two of them had started to miss the hustle and bustle of their earlier adventures, and even though they had enjoyed the laid back lifestyle their tiny farm had given them, they both wanted something more in their life. At first, neither of them were sure how to go about their problem, but the answer soon became clear. The best way to bring adventure back into their life was by bringing a life into the world.

_“The tiny pattering of feet across the floor… Tiny giggles from down the hall… It would be something new and exciting for us, wouldn’t it be, Tiz?”_

Tiz had been more than enthusiastic when Agnès first suggested the idea to him, and before they had even tried to conceive a child, he had started talking about all the things they could do as a family. Raising the sheep together, going out on picnics, watching the stars at night… All things that they already did as husband and wife, but now with a new, smaller addition to the household. They had also already managed to decide that most of the baby’s furniture would be handmade by Tiz, and that Agnès would sew every bit of clothing the baby would one day wear. The two of them were just as excited as any expecting parent would have been, even with the fact they weren’t even expecting yet. In the end, the excitement had only fueled their desire to have a child more.

_“We’ll make sure that our baby will have everything it ever needs! Food, clothing, toys, and lots of love! They couldn’t be any happier with how much attention we’d give them, Agnès!”_

Though they had no luck during their first month, the second month yielded the results they had been hoping for. It had started with Agnès being a bit more emotional than normal, with even the smallest of things sending her into tears. Next came the food aversion, where most of Tiz’s home cooked meals she had previously enjoyed had caused her to feel nauseous with the smell alone. Lastly came the morning sickness, and that was the point where Tiz finally decided it was time to take Agnès to see a doctor. At first the two of them weren’t sure if Agnès was really pregnant or just sick with a bug, but the white mage who had been on site was able to confirm that their efforts had been rewarded.

_“A baby… We’re really having a baby, Tiz! Oh, this is wonderful! We have to tell everyone! They’ll all be so thrilled!”_

In the weeks following, both Tiz and Agnès settled into a routine that took the pregnancy into account. Though Agnès had wanted to continue helping Tiz out on the farm, as soon as the slightest bit of a baby bump started to show on Agnès, Tiz would barely let her lift a finger. She had tried multiple times to convince Tiz she could still work for another few months, and though there were times he listened to her, he’d panic and make her sit down even if she showed the slightest sign of having difficulty. In the end, she spent most of her early pregnancy sitting on their front porch crocheting a blanket for their baby. She had even ended up putting a sheep design on it at Tiz’s suggestion.

_“I know you don’t like sitting here, Agnès, but I love you too much to risk letting you and the baby get hurt… I know it’s still early, but you understand, right? You two are the most important thing to me in the world right now, and I’m not going to let anything bad happen to you!”_

As the pregnancy progressed, it became apparent to them that they needed to start thinking about names for their child. They wouldn’t be able to figure out if they were having a boy or a girl for quite a bit, so names for both possibilities needed to be decided on. With each passing day, other villagers suggested names for the baby: Alexander, Maria, Henry, Alice… But none of the names suggested had ever appealed to Tiz and Agnès. They wanted their child’s name to be something special, and having somebody else decide for them was out of the question. Ultimately, their final decision would have to be something that came from the heart.

_“If it’s a boy, Theo Til Arrior, and a girl, Aline Olivia Arrior… Theo after your grandfather, and Aline after the Wind Vestal who raised me. I can’t think of anything more perfect than that.”_

When it came to telling their friends, they had to wait until the sixth month of Agnès’ pregnancy. Agnès had wanted to see their best friends’ reactions in person, and a few events had barred Tiz and Agnès from going to visit in the earlier months. They were, however, finally able to see everyone when visiting for Edea’s 26th birthday, and the wait had been worth it. Edea had let out the most excited gasp and bounced up and down with Agnès, and Magnolia asked what felt like hundreds of questions that Agnès couldn't answer all at once. Ringabel and Yew, meanwhile, had apparently said something that had managed to fluster Tiz, but they did congratulated the parents to be after a bit of laughter.

_“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say they’re more excited then we are! For a second there, I thought Edea and Magnolia were going to take you off and buy you every piece of baby clothing they could find! Oh, and… Please don’t ask about what Yew and Ringabel said. I’d rather not talk about it.”_

When Edea had learned Tiz and Agnès had yet to learn the baby’s gender, she immediately got Agnès an appointment at the White Magic Hospital. It was scheduled for a few days after Edea’s birthday, so the happy couple had to stay longer than planned. Their friends made use of this time though, so Tiz and Agnès were barraged with question after question over the next few days. The only time the two were able to relax was when they were alone in their room, and Tiz spent much of this time trying to feel the baby kicking or talking to them. Though Agnès wasn’t sure if the baby could actually hear him, she found it endearing nonetheless.

_“How about you try singing to the baby, Tiz? It’s been awhile since you’ve last sang to me, and I’m sure the baby would love to hear it too… Don’t you think?”_

On the day of the appointment, Agnès had been feeling a lot more sore than normal. As they sat waiting to be called, she tried to her best to be polite and not complain about the long wait despite the pain. Tiz, however, could see how uncomfortable she was and ran off to get some pillows for her to sit on. By the time she was finally called, Tiz had yet to return, so Agnès started to worry. After Agnès spoke with some nurses, they searched high and low for Tiz, and though they did eventually find him, he was quite embarrassed when they did.

_“Sorry! I got distracted by the newborns when looking for some pillows for my wife… You know she’s six months pregnant with our first child! We’re actually here to find out if it’s a boy or a girl! We don’t have any preferences since we know we’ll love our child either way, but it’s still exciting!”_

Despite the bit of a fumble, Agnès still managed to get into her appointment on time. There, they waited patiently as the doctor prepared to make sure everything was alright with the baby. The room was filled with different machines that Tiz and Agnès hadn’t seen before, and it was explained to them that they were all developed in Eternia in order to help keep tabs on unborn children. Though Agnès had admittedly been frightened by them, the doctor assured that they would do no harm to the baby and were in fact going to help them deduce the baby’s gender. That didn’t bring much comfort to Agnès though, as they were still something foreign to her, so she held Tiz’s hand the entire time she was there.

_“Is… Is that our baby? They’re so small… Like a tiny bean waiting to sprout… Oh, look Tiz, I think we can see their heart beating!”_

The trip to the White Magic Hospital had proven to be a great success, and by the time they left they had learned they were expecting a baby boy. On the way back to the inn, Tiz went on and on about how he needed to get work on the crib as soon as they returned home and that Agnès should start making clothes for baby Theo. Agnès knew this meant she’d also have to politely decline any offer from Magnolia and Edea in relation to baby clothes, but she figured they’d still get her some as a gift anyway once Theo was born. It didn’t bother her though, as all she could really focus on was the fact their baby now had a name. Tiz seemed to be the same way, as he kept mumbling their son’s name under his breath with glee.

_“Theo Til Arrior… The newest addition to our family… I wonder if he’s going to like sheep just as much as I do… Or maybe he’ll like sewing just as much as you do… There’s so many possibilities for our son… So many things to learn about him… I can’t wait!”_

Once they returned home to Norende, both Tiz and Agnès got to work. Tiz had gotten Ringabel to write up a set of instructions for him, so he started building Theo’s crib bit by bit; meanwhile, Agnès bought dozens of yards of fabric in order to make clothes and felt like she was drowning in thread. Along with this, there was of course also the task of preparing a nursery for when Theo was a tad older, buying all the supplies they’d need to take care of him, and finding a midwife for when Agnès gave birth. While the former two were easy enough, the latter part would be a bit difficult. They figured their best bet would be somebody living in Norende, but they weren’t sure who they could ask.

_“It has to be somebody we know we can trust, and definitely somebody with experience… I want Theo to be born right here at home, but is there anybody we can go to? I’m not sure if there’s anybody I can trust with my baby’s life.”_

As more time passed, Tiz and Agnès were eventually able to locate a midwife. A woman Agnès occasionally tailored for, whom was a mother of six and a former white mage, had offered her services when she learned of Agnès’ struggle. Seeing that she was more than qualified to help them out, they offered to pay her with what money they could give and a few extra sheep wool blankets for the winter. The woman, however, said the only thing she wanted in return was for Theo to have playdates with her youngest daughter every once in awhile, though she wouldn’t mind taking a few blankets. Once things were good and settled, they gave her all the info she needed to know about the pregnancy.

_“Agnès’ due date is sometime during the week of the Autumn Festival, so I hope that won’t be a problem. The doctor said either the 21st or the 22nd at the earliest and the 27th at the latest. There aren’t any complications we know of, but we can’t be too careful, right? Oh, but we do have a list of a few things you should probably know!”_

In the last month of Agnès’ pregnancy, things were finally starting to come together. Tiz had finished the crib and put it in their room, Agnès had made plenty of baby clothes, and they also had the gifts they had received from their friends. Edea and Ringabel had bought and sent over an entire box of Eternian toys, while Yew and Magnolia had made sure they had plenty of books to read to Theo. The toys had consisted of mostly stuffed animals, such as a Frosti and Eternian Ram, while the books were mostly legends or fairytales, including the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, which both Yew and Magnolia had claimed to be a personal favorite. Tiz and Agnès ended up placing most of this stuff in the nursery, which Tiz was still putting the finishing touches on, but a few things were left in their room for Theo to one day enjoy.

_“It’s really happening, Tiz… Just a little bit more time, and Theo will be right here with us.. I’m not sure how much longer I can wait for our new adventure to begin!”_

When Agnès entered her final week, Tiz spent all of his time by her side. The Autumn Festival, one of four Crystalist holidays dedicated to the crystals, had started the day prior, so many of the villagers were off celebrating around a giant bonfire in the center of the village. Tiz and Agnès had chosen to watch the celebration from their home, and all those who passed would stop and chat with them. Most of them asked about baby Theo, but a few asked if they had planned to join the celebration too. All invites were declined of course, as Agnès was in no shape to be celebrating, but the two were able to enjoy themselves nonetheless.

_“It wouldn’t do us any good if we were out celebrating and your water broke. Just think, we’d surely be in a mess! I think Theo still has a few good days until he joins us though, so there’s no reason to worry! Don’t you think? …Agnès, why are you looking at me like that?”_

As soon as Agnès told Tiz her water had broken a moment before, he was sent into a panic. Agnès, however, managed to stay calm and told him that needed to stop freaking out unless he wanted something bad to happen to her. Once he had taken a few deep breaths, he helped Agnès back inside and rushed out to find the midwife amongst all the people celebrating. Much to his relief, she hadn’t been difficult to find at all, and after quickly explaining the situation to her, they both rushed back to the little farmhouse. Agnès had managed to sit herself down, and as the midwife went to her side, Tiz was sent off to gather all the items they’d need for the birth.

_“P-please excuse my husband if he starts panicking again… He’s a good man and just a bit worried about Theo and I. You can’t really blame him for acting the way he is…”_

Theo was born at approximately 3:20 a.m. on November 22nd. His tiny cries showed signs of him being a healthy baby, and the midwife was able to confirm he showed no signs of abnormalities, but she would check again soon. Tiz was left to hold him while the midwife made sure Agnès was just as healthy as Theo was, and Tiz would have been lying if he had said he hadn’t been tearing up a bit. Theo had stopped crying by then and promptly fallen asleep, so Tiz took it as opportunity to get a good look at him. The light in the room was a bit weak, but it was still enough that Tiz could get a good look at the little baby boy he now called his son.

Well, little had been an understatement. Theo had been on the heavier side, weighing almost nine pounds according to the midwife, and his cheeks surely showed it. He also had a dark wisp of hair that perfectly matched Agnès’, and Tiz couldn’t help but wonder if he had her eyes as well. Theo seemed to be determined to stay asleep though, as even with Tiz gently bouncing him, he didn’t seem to be disturbed. Eventually, the nurse declared that Agnès was perfectly fine, and Theo was promptly handed over. Tiz could see Agnès beaming while she held their son close and mouthed “I love you” to him.

After kissing Agnès on the forehead, Tiz sat down next to her. The midwife had started cleaning up after the delivery at that point, and though Tiz knew it would have been wise to help her, he was too preoccupied with the newest member of the family to do so. Agnès seemed to be the same way, as even though she was obviously exhausted, all of her attention was on Theo. She didn’t seem to care about the sleep she desperately needed, and the only thing that mattered to her at that moment was in her arms. In the most gentle manner, she stroked Theo’s little cheek with her thumb, but even that didn’t seem to wake the sleeping baby up.

_“Is this what happiness feels like, Tiz? A mother, a father, and a newborn baby… Together at last?”_

Tiz smiled as he adjusted his son’s blanket and continued to let him sleep. Theo seemed to be scrunching his face up in his sleep, and Tiz couldn’t help but laugh a bit. It had reminded Tiz of Agnès during her sleepless nights, and he squeezed arm as she laid her head against his shoulder. After a long nine months, both of them were tired, but they knew that this was where they wanted to be. Neither of them could ask for anything more.

_“Yes, Agnès, this is what happiness- our happiness- feels like… A mother, father, and son who have everything they’ve ever wanted in life…”_

**Author's Note:**

> I don't recall what prompted me to use the experimental style, but I remember liking it and wanting to use it for other fics. In the end, however, this is the only fic I ever wrote in this style. It's a shame really, so maybe I'll come back to it now that it's been a year and a half.


End file.
